82 THE BIRDS OF CALCUTTA. 



than the type found in Calcutta. There is a certaia 

 amount of individual variation also ; the black-and- 

 white waistcoat of some birds is darker than that of 

 others, and the golden mantle may show a strong 

 tinge of red. In fact, if extreme forms be taken, two 

 or three species can be made out of our present 

 subject. 



It is more interesting, however, to note that the 

 plumage of this species is very nearly reproduced 

 by two others, one of which {Chryspcolaftes gutti- 

 cristatus) has a well-developed inner hind-toe, while 

 the other {Tiga javanensis) has none at all; so that 

 the common Golden-backed Woodpecker forms the 

 middle term in this series of degenerates, and is 

 a fine example of a " missing link " still existing, 

 to use a rather Hibernian expression. It is very 

 remarkable, indeed, that Woodpeckers should be so 

 undecided in the matter of toes ; as I implied above, 

 the reason is not easy to find, as generally speaking 

 they are so very uniform in structure and habits. 

 All agree in laying white eggs, and in refusing to 

 wear any shade of blue in their plumage, and most 

 are inveterate woodlanders ; for the Ground Wood- 

 pecker {Colaptes campestris) of the South American 

 Pampas has gladly turned his attention to trees now 

 that they have been planted on his native plains. In 

 fact, his enthusiastic carpentering performed on the 



